B&N NOOK Simple Touch and Simple Touch GlowLight hit UK from £79

Barnes & Noble has announced its attack on the UK market, and it’s the NOOK Simple Touch and Simple Touch GlowLight that will lead the charge. The two E Ink ereaders – which have been on sale in the US for some months now – will arrive on UK shores in time for the holidays, priced at £79 for the basic model and £109 for its illuminating sibling.

Both models use a 6-inch epaper display with a zero-pressure touchscreen, and rely on WiFi for connectivity to the NOOK Store. Inside there’s 1GB of storage – good for up to 1,000 books – with a microSD card slot tucked under a cover for adding to that.

The GlowLight version, meanwhile, has an optional illumination system that can gently light up the screen for easier reading in bed. The level of lighting can be adjusted, and B&N says that users will still see a month of battery life (with WiFi turned off) even if the GlowLight is active continuously. Without the backlighting, and with WiFi deactivated, both models will run for up to two months.

The two ereaders are up for preorder in the UK now, and as well as each hitting shelves in time for Christmas, B&N says its free NOOK apps for iOS and Android will arrive in the UK in the autumn. UK stores John Lewis, Argos, Sainsbury’s, Dixons, Waitrose, Blackwell’s, and Foyles will be stocking each model.